Source: US Rep. Walter B. Jones (NC-3), 3/4/15

February was a busy month in Washington, and I want to update you on my work for Eastern North Carolina.

Defending American Taxpayers and the Rule of Law
• Early in February, President Obama released his FY 2016 budget proposal, which is over 2,000 pages and would add over $8.5 trillion to our existing $18 trillion debt. President Obama has already added more to the federal debt than all previous U.S. presidents combined and this budget proposal further proves the disconnect between working Americans and the Obama administration during this fiscal crisis. This is not the kind of budget that steers us clear of the impending fiscal cliff, but drives us closer towards it. 
• Last month, I voted to fully repeal Obamacare once more. From the start, Obamacare has been a disaster, which is why I have voted against it each time it was considered in the House and have voted for every bill aimed at repealing or defunding the law. I will continue to do everything I can to end this unconstitutional government takeover of our heath care system. 

• The Keystone XL pipeline was major news in February, after it passed the House and the Senate but was vetoed by President Obama. I voted in favor of constructing the Keystone XL pipeline because it would create thousands of jobs and the according to a State Department report last year, would not have a significant impact on the environment. It's time to build. 
• Illegal immigration and President Obama's unconstitutional executive amnesty have been hot topics on the Hill, as a federal judge ordered an injunction halting the president's executive amnesty and a political battle brewed on Capitol Hill over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which is tasked with implementing the president's unconstitutional amnesty. I voted to defund President Obama's unconstitutional amnesty and joined many of my colleagues in urging House leadership to hold firm against funding it. While the Federal District Court's injunction is encouraging, the ruling could be changed by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court. The Constitution gives Congress the power of the purse, and I strongly believe that power must be used in circumstances such as this where the executive branch clearly oversteps its constitutional authority. 

Working for Eastern North Carolina
• Oregon Inlet and Morehead City Harbor are in desperate need of dredging--the local economy depends on it. I asked the Army Corps of Engineers to allocate money for dredging, and the requests were approved. The Army Corps is now allocating an additional $1.2 million to dredge Oregon Inlet, and $4.1 million to dredge Morehead City Harbor. 

Last month, I petitioned the feds to schedule a second public meeting on the Outer Banks off of North Carolina regarding the federal government's proposal to conduct an offshore oil and gas lease sale between 2017 and 2022. The first public meeting took place in Wilmington on February 17. The feds accepted my request for a second meeting, which will take place in Kill Devil Hills on March 16. It is vitally important for the federal government to receive the input of citizens who stand to be most impacted by this proposal.